News Releases

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ACE USA, the U.S.-based retail operating division of the ACE Group, today announced the appointment of Keith Mattheessen as Senior Vice President for ACE Risk Management’s (ARM) Houston Region, and Laura Vest as Senior Vice President and Branch Manager for ARM in Dallas.

Based in Houston, TX, Mr. Mattheessen will expand his responsibilities to also now include setting and driving the overall strategic direction for ARM’s branch operations in the Houston region. He will oversee new business development and underwriting activities, establish distribution strategies, and serve middle and large account commercial customers. Mr. Mattheessen adds this new role to his current responsibilities as Senior Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer of the ARM Energy Underwriting Unit, which is a unit within ARM that enhances ACE’s existing U.S. energy operations by providing a centralized point of access for specialized insurance coverage and risk management solutions to the energy industry.

Based in Dallas, TX, Ms. Vest will be responsible for client relations, new business development, financial results, and the overall strategic direction of the branch office. In addition, she will also oversee the regional production plans, distribution, product sales and marketing, producer management, staff management, and general operations in the Dallas branch office.

“Both the Houston and Dallas markets represent a tremendous growth opportunity for ARM. Keith’s proven experience and astute knowledge of the region assure ARM clients will continue to have access to a range of tailored risk management solutions designed to meet their existing and emerging needs,” said Matt Merna, Chief Operating Officer, ACE Risk Management & President, ACE Financial Solutions. “And Laura’s excellent track record means clients in the region will benefit from a collaborative approach that blends ACE’s broad portfolio of products with ARM’s superior service discipline.

With more than 26 years of insurance and underwriting management experience, Mr. Mattheessen joined ACE USA in 1999, and has held several senior account management and underwriting leadership roles for ACE Risk Management. Prior to his tenure with ACE USA, Mr. Mattheessen has held various senior leadership roles with several global insurance carriers, based in Houston.

With more than 20 years in the insurance and risk management arena, Ms. Vest joined ACE Risk Management in 2005, and most recently served as Vice President and Regional Underwriting Manager. Ms. Vest received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A & M University, and holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) professional designation.

ACE Risk Management offers comprehensive risk managements programs and services that are uniquely designed and customized to assist companies in any industry deal with the significant costs of financing and managing risks. To learn more about ACE Risk Management’s products and services, please visit:www.aceusa.com.

Celebrating 25 years of insuring progress, the ACE Group is a global leader in insurance and reinsurance serving a diverse group of clients. Headed by ACE Limited (NYSE:ACE), a component of the S&P 500 stock index, the ACE Group conducts its business on a worldwide basis with operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries. Additional information can be found at: www.acegroup.com.